Dahlia plant name `Gallery Renoir`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named `Gallery Renoir`, characterized by its suitability for potted plants, garden or patio plants, or as cut flowers; upright and spreading, compact and freely branching plant habit; dark green foliage; early and profuse flowering; rapid growth rate; decorative-type inflorescences that are about 11 cm in diameter; pink-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrid and referred to by thecultivar name `Gallery Renoir`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create compact Dahlia cultivars that flower early andprofusely with desirable ray floret color and good post-productionlongevity.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in thesummer of 1992, of the nonpatented commercial cultivar `Tout a Toi` asthe female, or seed, parent with the nonpatented commercial cultivar`Oriental Dream` as the male, or pollen, parent. Compared to plants ofthe parent cultivars, the new Dahlia is more compact, more freelybranching and inflorescences have a different ray floret color.

The cultivar `Gallery Renoir` was discovered and selected by theinventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross ina controlled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, in 1992. Theselection of this plant was based on its compact and freely branchinghabit, unique ray floret color, floriferousness and good postproductionlongevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, has shown that theunique features of this new Dahlia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

The cultivar `Gallery Renoir` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Gallery Renoir`. These characteristicsin combination distinguish `Gallery Renoir` as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Suitable for potted plants, garden or patio plants, or as cutflowers.

2. Upright and spreading, compact and freely branching plant habit.

3. Dark green foliage.

4. Early and profuse flowering.

5. Rapid growth rate.

6. Large decorative-type inflorescences that are about 11 cm indiameter.

7. Pink-colored ray florets.

8. Good postproduction longevity with open inflorescences maintaininggood substance and color for about 14 days and plants maintaining goodsubstance and flowering for 3 to 4 months.

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew cultivar. The colored photograph comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of `Gallery Renoir`. This photograph showsthe colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in coloredreproductions of this type. Floret and foliage colors in the photographmay differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Lisse, The Netherlands, underconditions which approximate those generally used in commercial pottedDahlia production with day temperatures averaging 21° C and nighttemperatures averaging 14° C. Plants were grown during the summer andmeasurements and numerical values were averages derived from typicalflowering plants in September.

Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrid cultivar `Gallery Renoir`.

Commercial classification: Decorative potted Dahlia.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Dahlia hybrid cultivar `Oriental Dream` (notpatented).

Female or seed parent.--Dahlia hybrid cultivar `Tout a Toi` (notpatented).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings or by tuberous divisions.

Time to rooting.--About 14 days with soil temperatures of 20° C.

Rooting habit.--Central root with numerous secondary roots that are fineand fibrous.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous decorative-type Dahlia, suitable aspotted plants, garden or patio plants, or as cut flowers. Upright andspreading, compact habit and freely branching.

Plant height.--About 25 cm, appropriate for 12 to 15-cm containers.

Growth rate.--Rapid, typically only 65 days are required from anunrooted cutting to a finished flowering plant.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Opposite, simple or compound.Compound leaves have either three or five leaflets. Leaf size, single:Length: About 10 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Leaf size, compound: Length:About 18 cm. Width: About 14 cm. Leaf shape: Ovate. Leaf apex: Acute.Leaf base: Acute. Leaf margin: Finely serrate. Leaf texture: Smooth.Color: Young foliage adaxial surface: 137B. Young foliage abaxialsurface: 191A. Mature foliage adaxial surface: 147A. Mature foliageabaxial surface: 191A. Venation adaxial surface: 146A. Venation abaxialsurface: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 2 cm. Color: 146B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.--Fully double decorative-type inflorescence form withpink-colored ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals abovefoliage.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plant flower from July toNovember in the Northern Hemisphere.

Postproduction longevity.--On the plant, open inflorescences willmaintain good color and substance for at about 14 days. As a cut flower,open inflorescences will maintain good color and substance for at least6 days. Plants will continue to maintain good substance and floweringfor three to four months.

Quantity of inflorescences.--Numerous, continuous flowering.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 11 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5cm.

Inflorescence bud.--Size: Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 10 mm. Rateof opening: About 14 days. Color: 151C.

Ray florets.--Shape: Long and narrow. Size: Length: About 4.3 cm. Width:About 1.5 cm. Apex: Pointed. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, satiny.Aspect: Flat, some undulation. Color: When opening: 64A. Adaxialsurface: 66D with 13A at base. Abaxial surface: 63C with 151D at base,64A at margin. Fading: Towards light pink to white.

Disc florets.--Few and inconspicuous.

Peduncle.--Length: 10 to 15 cm. Aspect: Strong, erect. Texture:Glabrous. Color: 138C with anthocyanin.

Sepals.--Quantity: 7 to 8. Shape: Long, narrow, with pointed apex.Color: Adaxial surface: 144A with anthocyanin. Abaxial surface: 146Awith anthocyanin.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Anther shape: Tubular and pointed.Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 14B. Pollen color: 15A.Gynoecium: Stigma color: 14A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:154B.

Disease resistance: No known Dahlia diseases observed to date on plantsgrown under commercial conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named`Gallery Renoir`, as illustrated and described.